650 State St.
3 Adjectives: Dark, crowded, friendly.
Price:
coffee (2-5)Authenticity:
Atmosphere:
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Other Opinions: yelp, madisonatoz, dane101, ...
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Since finals are just around the corner, I thought I'd squeeze in one last post before the week of hell. In the spirit of finals, I present to you a great coffee shop to study in, if you are into this sort of thing.
My discovery of Espresso Royale last year was out of sheer desperation as I hugged ten pages of notes I needed to cram for an exam next morning. I was determined to get some coffee, and stumble-hurled into the nearest coffee shop on State, which turned out to be Espresso. I am a studier who generally needs to be away from my highly distractive computer (although there is free wifi at Espresso) and need others studying around me so I do not find myself staring out into space. I decided to settle down in the shop after finding a nice single table, clutching my chai with a single shot of espresso.
Espresso Royale, the one closer to Library Mall, is and has always been filled with students. The coffee shop is usually chock full of some folks talking, but mostly students studying and has a wonderful quiet chatty atmosphere. Although the coffee is average, the folks are nice and it has a perfect study ambiance, for me anyway. I save it for those special occasions when I have to cram a whole lotta notes at one time while sipping my chai in the corner.
As a dining place, Espresso Royale's drink and food is quite average. You can certainly find better coffee and better chai further down State. Even their sandwiches (I tried the turkey avocado a few weeks ago) are mediocre. However, it is possibly one of the most ideal locations for college students as it fulfills the requirement of proximity - both location-wise and peer-wise.
Espresso Royale is the perfect location to buckle down, study, and feel connected to those around you as you prepare for that next test. It is the ultimate college coffee shop experience. And my exam? I definitely scored an A.
1 comment:
ERC is my cafe of choice ever since I read Kenneth Burns' article on where to get a real cappuccino. When I order my single shot cap with whole milk, that's what I get, in the right cup and everything! Plus the $1 brew refills are a plus.
I do find the baristas at the Capitol-end location much friendlier than those down by Memorial Library...
Happy finals week! :)
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